In conventional racing games in which a plurality of moving objects race against one another, various improvements have been made to make each race more thrilling. For example, in a video game system disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2747405, when two racing cars are significantly distant from each other, the performance values of these racing cars such as the maximum speed are changed so that the distance therebetween will decrease. Then, it is less likely that a particular racing car will be excessively ahead of or excessively behind the other racing cars, thus making the race more thrilling.
However, in the corresponding video game system, the distance between racing cars, each controlled by a different human player, is adjusted so as to reduce the difference between the players' skills. Directly applying this conventional approach to a case where a moving object is automatically controlled by a computer based on a predetermined algorithm, thereby resulting in more accurate control than human player control, leads to disadvantages.
Since the driving performance of a racing car running behind is adjusted to be higher than that of another racing car running ahead, it is likely that most or all of the racing cars automatically controlled by the computer will stay bunched up together. Then, the places of the racing cars automatically controlled by the computer will be changing constantly, whereby a human player cannot feel like he or she is competing against a particular racing car for a better place, and the human player cannot experience distinct characteristics of each racing car.
When such conventional techniques are applied to a racing game in which a racing car controlled by a human player and a plurality of racing cars controlled by a computer race together through a series of races for total scores, the final places of the racing cars controlled by the computer will be at random for each race. Then, the racing cars controlled by the computer are likely to have total scores close to one another, in which case the human player may be able to easily win by far the highest total score, or a racing car controlled by the computer which happens to stably take not-so-low places may win 1st place in the end-of-series standings even if the racing car does not race particularly well in any individual races. In either case, the difficulty of the game may become excessively low.
In order for each racing car automatically controlled by a computer to have its distinct characteristics, a plurality of racing cars having different levels of driving performance may be used. However, this may result in those racing cars of higher performance levels always winning higher places. In other words, no matter how many races are played, the racing cars automatically controlled by the computer will always take generally the same places, thus producing monotonous race results, whereby the player is likely to get tired of the game relatively soon.
Therefore, a feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a racing game, in which one or more of a plurality specified moving objects controlled by a computer can behave as strong rivals for a moving object controlled by a human player.
Another feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is to provide a racing game where the final standings are determined based on the results of a plurality of races, in which one or more moving specified objects controlled by a computer can behave as strong rivals for a moving object controlled by a human player throughout a series of races.
The exemplary illustrative embodiments may have the following aspects to attain the features mentioned above. Note that reference numerals and figure numbers are shown in parentheses below for assisting the reader in finding corresponding components in the figures to facilitate the understanding of the exemplary illustrative embodiments, but they are in no way intended to restrict the scope of the invention.
A first aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is directed to a computer-readable recording medium, storing a racing game program for playing a racing game in which a player moving object (Kart B) controlled by a human player and a plurality of non-player moving objects (Karts A, C to G) automatically controlled based on a predetermined algorithm race together on a course in a virtual space, wherein the racing game program instructs a computer (21) to function as target place setting means (21, 43), driving performance value changing means (21, 45) and automatic control means (21, 47). The target place setting means is means for setting different target places for at least two of the plurality of non-player moving objects (FIG. 7). The driving performance value changing means is means for changing a driving performance value (FIG. 6) preset for each of the non-player moving objects according to the target place thereof set by the target place setting means (FIG. 8). The automatic control means is means for automatically controlling each of the non-player moving objects according to the driving performance value thereof which has been changed by the driving performance value changing means.
According to a second aspect, in the first aspect, the driving performance value includes at least one of a maximum speed performance value and an acceleration performance value (FIG. 6).
According to a third aspect, in the first aspect, the racing game program instructs the computer to function further as current place obtaining means (21, 49) for obtaining a current place of each non-player moving object running on the course among the plurality of non-player moving objects; and the automatic control means controls a speed of each non-player moving object so that the current place thereof comes closer to the target place thereof (S209).
According to a fourth aspect, in the first aspect, the racing game program instructs the computer to function further as target place changing means (21, 51) for changing the target places set by the target place setting means.
According to a fifth aspect, in the fourth aspect, the target place changing means changes the target places of the non-player moving objects while the non-player moving objects are running on the course (S215, S217).
According to a sixth aspect, in the fifth aspect, the plurality of non-player moving objects include two rival moving objects (Karts A, D) and at least one normal moving object (Karts C, E to G); the target place setting means sets the target place of a first one of the two rival moving objects to 1st while setting the target place of a second one of the two rival moving objects to 2nd (FIG. 7); and if the first rival moving object whose target place is 1st falls significantly behind the second rival moving object whose target place is 2nd (for example, if a parameter indicating how much the first rival moving object is behind the second rival moving object, such as the difference in place therebetween, the difference in time therebetween, the distance therebetween, the difference in total score therebetween, etc., exceeds a predetermined threshold value), the target place changing means switches around the target places of the first and second rival moving objects (S403).
According to a seventh aspect, in the fourth aspect, the racing game is such that a plurality of moving objects, including the player moving object and the non-player moving objects, compete against one another for total scores determined based on results of a series of races (the first to fifth races); the racing game program instructs the computer to function further as total score calculation means (21, 53) for calculating a total score of each moving object after each race; and the target place changing means changes the target places based on the calculation by the total score calculation means after a race is finished and before a next race begins (S115).
According to an eighth aspect, in the seventh aspect, the plurality of non-player moving objects include two rival moving objects (Karts A, D) and at least one normal moving object (Karts C, E to G); the target place setting means sets the target place of a first one of the two rival moving objects to 1st while setting the target place of a second one of the two rival moving objects to 2nd (FIG. 7); and after a race, if the total score of either one of the two rival moving objects or an overall standing thereof determined based on the total score is significantly higher than that of the player moving object (FIG. 22), the target place changing means changes the target places of the two rival moving objects so that the target place of the rival moving object with a higher total score is 2nd while that of the rival moving object with a lower total score is 1st (FIG. 23).
According to a ninth aspect, in the seventh aspect, the plurality of non-player moving objects include two rival moving objects (Karts A, D) and at least one normal moving object (Karts C, E to G); the target place setting means sets the target place of one of the two rival moving objects to 1st while setting the target place of the other rival moving object to 2nd (FIG. 7); and after a race, if the total scores of the two rival moving objects are both significantly lower than that of the player moving object (FIG. 20), the target place changing means changes the target places of the two rival moving objects so that the target places of the first and second rival moving objects are both 1st (FIG. 21).
A tenth aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is directed to a video game device, including the computer-readable recording medium of the first aspect, and a computer for executing the racing game program stored in the computer-readable recording medium.
In the first aspect, the target places are set for at least two non-player moving objects and the driving performance values of the non-player moving objects are changed, whereby the results of the racing game can be controlled intentionally to some extent. Therefore, it is possible to stage a situation where the player moving object is racing closely against a particular non-player moving object, for example.
In the second aspect, how well each non-player moving object will do in a race can be controlled intentionally to some extent simply by changing parameters such as the maximum speed performance value or the acceleration performance value of the moving object according to the target place thereof.
In the third aspect, the current place of each non-player moving object is obtained, and the non-player moving object is controlled so that the current place comes closer to the target place. Thus, it is possible to more effectively control the non-player moving object to be in, or come closer to, the target place thereof.
In the fourth aspect, the results of the racing game can be adjusted flexibly.
In the fifth aspect, the results of each race can be adjusted flexibly.
In the sixth aspect, the target places of two rival moving objects are controlled. Therefore, even if the rival moving object whose target place is 1st falls significantly behind by an accident, whereby the rival moving object whose target place is 2nd is moved up to 1st place, for example, it is possible to avoid a situation where the rival moving object whose target place is 2nd and which is now running in 1st place decelerates attempting to come in 2nd place.
In the seventh aspect, the total scores can be adjusted flexibly.
In the eighth aspect, if the total score of one rival moving object is significantly higher than that of the player moving object, the target place of the rival moving object with the higher total score is changed to 2nd. Thus, it is possible to avoid a situation where a particular rival moving object takes such a big lead as to discourage the player.
In the ninth aspect, if the total score of the player moving object is significantly higher than those of the rival moving objects, the target places of the two rival moving objects are both set to 1st. Then, the rival moving objects will race more closely against each other, thus increasing the difficulty of the game, and making the race more thrilling.